The Point of No (Painting) Return

I've gone and done it.

I've begun the process of repainting my office, which means there is no turning back anymore.  Last night I layed out the dropcloths, moved furniture (and boxes - for shame!), removed switchplates, and got to work.

I got most of the room primed last night - I would've finished it all but the smell was starting to get to me.  I have only about 1 wall's worth left to prime and the ever-popular cutting-in step (yes, I'm doing it after I paint the walls rather than first).  I don't think I'm going to enjoy cutting in around the plantation shutter...

This room will be a complete paint makeover, as I'm not only changing the wall color, but will be changing the trim color as well and repainting the ceiling.

Sounds like fun, right?

This is the first time I've painted in a long time.  My hubby and I repainted nearly every room in our first home - and that was nine years ago!  I admit it - it was much easier accomplishing the painting before the two littles came along.  That's okay though - it's much more rewarding to enjoy a room remodel with these two cuties.

So next up?  Finish priming (maybe tonight)? and then paint that ceiling to prevent any drips onto my new gray walls...

If you're not doing anything, care to join me?!

The Chaturunga Run

If the title of this blog post has you wondering, lucky you.

If, instead, it has you cringing... then you have felt the pain that is P90X.

I have only done two days so far of this workout and I have muscles speaking to me that haven't spoken in a long time.  Really long time.  Ouch.  Let me just say the Chaturunga Run is pure torture - and I could only do it physically for a second or two!

I will admit - I succumbed to the 5:30 am infomercial and ordered this workout system a while back.  It's been sitting in my poop brown office waiting to be used all this time and I finally got off my arse and decided to get to work.  I haven't really invested alot in taking care of my body since my children came along... and with my age getting higher and certain parts getting lower, I thought now was the perfect time.

The diet part I haven't quite committed to yet cause, let's face it: when you have kids, you have "junk" food around.  I don't think my first grader would appreciate me packing her a protein bar instead of chips in her lunch box, if you know what I mean.  The hard part is not eating it when those hunger pangs hit - the instant satisfaction offered by a carb-loaded snack is something I've grown used to over the years and it's a hard habit to break.  (As is my chocolate habit...)  I do find that I am a little more conscious of what's going into my body seeing as I know how hard I'll be working that body later - if any of you have any great protein smoothie recipes, send them my way (palatable, please!).

I missed today's workout due to having a day filled with dropoffs and work and pickups and quick dinner and gymnastics and home and baths and brushing teeth and reading.  Not a lot of time there to break a sweat (other than in the 110 degree car).  Believe it or not, after feeling the initial burn, I'm actually looking forward to tomorrow morning's Cardio X routine.

I'll let you know how I feel about it after I'm finished.

If it involves a Chatarunga Run... you can already guess how I'll be feeling.

What about you?  Any new workout routines motivating you to get up and get moving?

Thirsty

Good morning, and happy Saturday!

I'm sitting here at my kitchen table drinking coffee and listening to the news coverage of Hurricane Irene in the background.  As I look out the windows into my backyard, I'm greeted by wilting plants and brown leaves, scorched grass, and a sinking rock patio. 

The ground is thirsty.

It hasn't rained here (I mean really rained) in a very long time.  We're on water restrictions, so our watering is limited (plus we don't want a ginormous water bill). And while my yard and plants are suffering from the lack of rainfall, the drought's effects are much more far-reached in this area.

Crops have died and fields have been plowed over.  The farm-to-market drive I take to work is usually lined with glorious cornfields - but not this year.

Livestock are starving.  There is no grass in the fields for them to eat, no hay because the hay crops died... so the ranchers are selling off their cattle in droves.

Fires are consuming the dry, parched land.

It is a sad, sad situation.  We in Texas are literally praying for a hurricane to head our way just so we could get some rain!

Would you do me a favor?  Would you pray for all of those affected by this year's drought to finally have some relief in the form of glorious rain, like manna from heaven?  We need to be quenched.

Paint Swatch is on the Wall!

After living in my home for nine months and living with the poop chocolate brown dungeon office, I finally slapped a swatch of color on the walls to motivate me to just go ahead and paint the room already.  What color, you ask?  Sharkey Gray by Martha Stewart. 

Already, I am loving it and imagining how much lighter and brighter this room will be when this color graces all four walls and the trim is painted a bright shiny white.

Ahhhhhh.

Just as a side note, I have to say that I love that paint companies finally wised up and started offering sample sizes for us DIYers to try.  I can't tell you how many quarts of paint I went through in my first home trying to find the right shade of a color to put on the wall.  These little testers are fantastic - the Sharkey Gray came in a ready-made tester (complete with brush) and I had another sample whipped up real quick by the paint counter gal for a color to try in my entry.  (I'm saving that one for later - one room at a time, right?)

I also love this little paint touch up kit, which I bought as a paint sampler kit:

Genius, I tell ya.  Genius.

And to not let it go to waste... I plan on rinsing out the container and brush and letting the girls "help" mama a little when it does come time for painting day.

First Grade

And just like that... my baby girl is a first grader!

I know many parents are sending their children back to school this week with an array of emotions: excitement, sadness, worry, happiness, anticipation... formal education is such a big part of what will shape our little people (outside of the safety net of our homes), so it's natural that we're hesitant to loosen our grip from their hand as they walk into another chapter of their lives.  These are our babies, after all. 

Then again, it's our job as parents to let them learn and grow and experience, right?  I love how this song by Mark Harris sums it up:

"It's only for a moment you are mine to hold

The plans that heaven has for you

Will all too soon unfold

So many different prayers I'll pray

For all that you might do

But most of all I'll want to know

You're walking in the truth

And If I never told you

I want you to know

As I watch you grow

I pray that God would fill your heart with dreams

And that faith gives you the courage

To dare to do great things

I'm here for you whatever this life brings

So let my love give you roots

And help you find your wings

May passion be the wind

That leads you through your days

And may conviction keep you strong

Guide you on your way

May there be many moments

That make your life so sweet

Oh, but more than memories

I pray that God would fill your heart with dreams

And that faith gives you the courage
To dare to do great things
I'm here for you whatever this life brings
So let my love give you roots
And help you find your wings

It's not living if you don't reach for the sky

I'll have tears as you take off
But I'll cheer as you fly

I pray that God would fill your heart with dreams

And that faith gives you the courage
To dare to do great things
I'm here for you whatever this life brings
So let my love give you roots
And help you find your wings"

Here's hoping your little ones are having a great time finding their wings...

Hot Mess.

It's hot.

Seriously.

100+ temps every day for the last who knows how many days.

Needless to say, my motivation for my pending outdoor projects has pretty much dried up and withered away.  Ironically, so has the orange print fabric from Hobby Lobby that I was using to redo my outdoor settee (one cushion left... for reals).  I will soon be on a mad hunt to locate more so I may finish that labor of love!

Big Sis starts school next week, and the fam is taking a last minute "end of summer" trip to the beach before it's back to the School Days grind.  Nothin' like a little sand, sun, and fun before we get back into readin', writin', and 'rithmetic.

The smell of pencils is in the air... and that means cooler weather will soon be on the way!

Until then... I'll be here.

And I'll be hot.

You Say It's Your Birthday...

It's my birthday too yeah!

Yes,  it's true.  Today is my 29th... ok, 34th birthday!  Here's a list of 34 things about me:

1. I could eat my weight in chips and salsa.
2. I'll take a good beer over a fruity drink any day!  (What can I say?  I'm German!)
3. I love karaoke.
4. I'm a little crafty (but you already knew that).
5. I take my coffee strong.
6. I have an ongoing battle with my snooze button.
7. I used to walk across stages in just a swimsuit and four inch heels.  (Miss Texas, woot!)
8. I am still crazy in love with my husband.
9. I want to own a little shop one day and sell handmade items and vintage treasures.
10. I wish my sister lived next door.
11. I love watching my babies sleep.
12. I secretly want to be Martha Stewart.
13. My favorite color is robin egg blue.
14. Someday I'd love a little house on a lake or on the beach.
15. One day I want to run a marathon.
16. Right now I can barely run two miles.  Ha!
17. I wish my girls could've known my mother...
18. And I wish my mom would've had the chance to be a grandma.
19. If it's chocolate, I'll eat it.
20. I would love to have a green thumb.
21. I've lived in four states.
22. I still know all of the words to "Ice, Ice Baby".  (Jealous?)
23. Flying makes me soooo anxious.
24. I love puppy breath.
25. I love my kid's dragon morning breath too!
26. I love wearing heels.
27. I never had a cavity until this year.  (See No. 19)
28. I can't live without cherry vanilla diet coke from Sonic.
29. My girls are my pride and joy.
30. I actually like cleaning my house... provided no one interrupts me!
31. I don't like snakes.
32. I believe in the Lord,
33. I believe in karma,
34. and I believe in angels. 

So that's it... a little bit about me.  Hope you have a wonderful Saturday!

{Friday Faves} Robin Egg Blue

Every now and then, I have to peruse the world wide web for all things made in my favorite color... robin egg blue.  As always, my search did not disappoint!  Enjoy!

Source: etsy.com via rhonda on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via rhonda on Pinterest

Source: juliasvitadrommar.se via rhonda on Pinterest

Source: apartmenttherapy.com via rhonda on Pinterest

Source: aprettypennyblog.com via rhonda on Pinterest

Source: wwwcastlescrownscottages.blogspot.com via rhonda on Pinterest

Are you drooling yet?!  If you want to see more, follow me on on Pinterest!!

Custom Nap Towel and Mail Happiness!

A reader recently asked me to make a nap towel for her son, based on the one I made for my daughter last year for kindergarten.  She pretty much gave me creative license to do whatever I wanted, which was fun since I don't get to make boy things very often... here's how it turned out. 

I used a denim blue towel and added a black minky chenille "pillow" with two layers of light batting for cushion.  Then I appliqued his name with some Cars theme fabric.  And what would a Cars  nap towel be without a little Lightning McQueen?

KACHOW!  I hope the little man likes it...

And in other business, remember when I won that fantastic giveaway from The 36th Avenue?  Well, Desiree not only sent me the fabulous Enjoy the Ride! vinyl...

*giggle* If you're wondering, it does say short, not snort... the paper just needs to be peeled off!

Where was I?  Oh yes!  She also sent me these!!

Aren't they just perfect?!

Thank you Desiree!!!

If you'd like some of your own, head on over the The 36th Avenue... she's got another great giveaway going on!

Tablecloth Tuesday!

Our dining table belonged to my grandparents.  It's dark cherry wood, a style that was symbolic of the era during which they purchased it for their home from a military source.  I repainted the chairs a soft seafoam blue a few years ago, but the table has remained dark and dreary.  (Perhaps a paint job is in its future?)  To lighten things up for the time being, I whipped up a tablecloth this weekend.  The main cloth is an off white kona cotton, and the ruffle is natural color muslin, left raw on the edges to fray over time.

 

I made a quick burlap table runner to go along with it as well... easy peasy.

I love the burlap, but do tell... how do you get rid of the trademark "wet dog" smell that comes with it?!

I love how much lighter and brighter my dining area is now!

I know the table decor leaves a lot to be desired, but I just grabbed something real quick from the shelf.  I'm hoping one day to have a dough bowl like the Nester.  Oh, how I'm coveting the dough bowl.

How are you dressing your table today?

I left my heart... in San Francisco

Okay... so I didn't leave my heart there, but I did somehow manage to leave my bag of makeup brushes and some much cooler weather in San Francisco!  The weather was fantastic - cool and in the sixties every day.  It was a rude awakening returning to the one hundred plus temps in Texas and the ensuing drought... but even so, it is so good to be home in my own bed with my babies sleeping nearby.

Here's a little peek into my work-play trip!

We stayed in an old hotel located between Chinatown and Union Square - while not as modern as the many other hotels around, it had a certain vintage charm that made it feel like authentic San Francisco.  Claw foot bathtub, original molding, no central air or heat... and even a late night flute serenade from one of the transients in the alleyway.  Remind me to share the video sometime...

  Since this was a work trip for me, we only had evenings to go out exploring together, so we spent most of our time walking (a lot), eating great food, drinking coffee, and people watching.  Did I mention walking?  The hills are crazy steep.  The picture above of the cable car was taken right before we trekked up Hyde Street, which has an incline of 27%... oy. 

It was a nice little getaway... and a great reminder that...

There's No Place Like Home!

Home Sweet Home

Hi friends!

I am back from San Francisco, and catching up on a few things...

laundry, bills, sleep (zzzzzzzzz)

and of course,

sweet snuggles and kisses.

It's good to be home.